GROUND CONTAMINATION REMEDIATION PROCESS AND APPARATUS

摘要

A process and apparatus for removal of contaminants from a contaminated subsurface area of the earth having a subsurface water table, a subsurface saturated zone below the water table, and a subsurface vadose zone above the water table. The removal is accomplished by means of a plurality of wells each having a perforate portion allowing flow of material from or into respective wells and being disposed in or approximate to the subsurface saturated zone. The wells include at least one steam injection well, at least one nutrient injection well and at least one extraction well. Nutrients, injected into the injection well, include (a) nutrients effective in enhancing the growth of naturally occurring hydrocarbon degrading biota present in the subsurface contaminated area, and/or (b) nonnaturally occurring hydrocarbon degrading biota and nutrients effective in enhancing the growth of the biota. The nutrients enhance the ability of the biota to degrade the contaminants into more water soluble and/or more volatile species permitting at least a portion of the contaminants present in the subsurface saturated zone and/or the vadose zone to be withdrawn in liquid or vaporized form or in a combination thereof.